Here are a few of the people we've visited:
Maria Teresa and Emma and their kids. They are all from Honduras and just recently started coming to the church in Florence because they were taking the bus to the Prato church but it was too difficult with all of the kids so now they are here! Hooray. We went to the park and played and had a "merenda"(snack) with them after the kids got out of school.
Mario is a retired man from church and with out him, things would fall apart. He is a true Florentine and has been here forever. He came to the Bible School for lunch and each of us had a question to ask him. We found out so many interesting things about him. He has literally been in Florence since the flood...the one in 1966 and he also has pictures of Florence during World War 2 and the flood. Really interesting stuff.
Niccolo is another retired man from church and he came to the Bible School and we celebrated his birthday. Sadly, I didn't get to talk to him as much, but he is a firecracker, let me tell you. I'm sure we'll have him over again sometime and I will get to talk to him a little bit more.
Christina is from Brazil and she works at a nursing home in the Alzheimer's ward. As you know, Laura and I are at the building Thursday morning to do the weaving class and Erme comes a little later to have a Bible study with the mother, Maria. So, if we do something for lunch for visitation, usually it is around the church building. There is a pretty good pizza place close by and that is where we went with Christina. Once again, I was at the other end of the table so I didn't hear all of what she said but afterwards, Laura and I went back to the church building to weave some more and Christina came and we talked until it was time for the Conversation Class that night.
Last Thursday, we decided to visit Elizabeth Whatley, the director of the Pepperdine Program here in Florence. She is always doing something and this Thursday her plan was to plant 700+ tulip bulbs in her garden at her house! So, instead of cancelling the visit, we went and helped and I know she appreciated it. We brought a picnic lunch and drinks and after we ate, we started to work. There were 8 sections to be planted and only one of them didn't get planted and she said that was probably the easiest one so it wouldn't be a problem for her to do the next day. Success!
(Sorry, I don't have anymore pictures right now.)
These aren't in order and are just the most recent "visitees" but maybe you have an idea of what Thursday Visitation is now. I think this is one of the best things we do here and that it is part of what we're called to do as the church. I'm guilty of this as well, but I would go to church say hello and ask how they are and then never really found out about the person. Now, especially the people we've gone to visit, it's more meaningful to see them on Sunday mornings. I know it's a continuous thing to get to know people and be part of their lives but I know this is atleast a step in the right direction.
God Bless all of you and thank you for all of your encouragement!
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